All Titans Seven-Round Mock by David Boclair

More so than at any time since his first season as general manager, Jon Robinson has plenty of holes to fill in the Tennessee Titans’ roster.

That makes predicting what he will do from round to round difficult. There is also a strong possibility that the Titans will make a trade or two – they might even drop out of the first round – to acquire additional picks.

One thing that has become clear in recent years, though, is that Robinson tends to attack his most glaring need(s) early in the draft. Number-one this year is wide receiver. So, whether it is in the first round or early in the second as the result of a trade, that was the starting point here.

All Titans reporter David Boclair presents his seven-round mock draft:

FIRST ROUND

• No. 22 overall: Elijah Moore, WR (5-9, 185), Ole Miss. He provides the elite speed and run-after-catch ability from the slot that the Titans have lacked in recent years and that should be a nifty complement to A.J. Brown’s size and power on the outside, particularly since defenses will focus their attention on Brown. One concern is his catch radius given his size, but Ryan Tannehill’s accuracy minimizes that issue. This is a guy who will have room to operate in the middle of the field and then run away from defenders when he gets the ball.

SECOND ROUND

• No. 53 overall: Joe Tryon, Edge (6-4, 262), Washington. He is one of the question marks of this draft because he opted out of the 2020 season. However, his production in 2019 (eight sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss) is impossible to ignore. He also is an above average athlete who should be able to add weight without losing speed. With Bud Dupree and Harold Landry in place, he will have time to develop and to get back to his game after the year off.

THIRD ROUND

• No. 85 overall: Benjamin St-Juste, CB (6-3, 200), Minnesota. He has better than average size at the position and the ability to use it to great effect in press coverage, which is the Titans’ preferred method of pass defense on the outside. However, he also has the athleticism that allows him to play in tight spaces and match up with small, quick receivers as well. It won’t be long before he and Kristian Fulton comprise a starting pair.

• No. 100 overall: Hunter Long, TE (6-5, 254), Boston College. This is a player coach Mike Vrabel knows well because he often lined up alongside right tackle Tyler Vrabel, one of the Titans head coach’s sons. He led all FBS tight ends in targets and receptions last season but is equally comfortable as an end-of-the-line blocker. The Titans selected Jonnu Smith at No. 100 overall in 2017, and Long is more than a suitable replacement.

FOURTH ROUND

• No. 126 overall: Robert Hainsey, T (6-4, 295), Notre Dame. He was a team captain and a three-year starter at right tackle who did not allow a sack as a junior, when he played eight games before he was sidelined by an injury. He does not have a huge upside and might not be able to play tackle in any offense, but he does look best suited to the zone scheme Tennessee favors. If he can’t make on the outside, he should easily transition to guard or even center.

FIFTH ROUND

• No. 166 overall: Austin Watkins, WR (6-1, 210), Alabama-Birmingham. His cousin is veteran NFL receiver Sammy Watkins, and Austin Watkins has the same kind of speed and ability to beat press coverage. Combine that with his competitiveness at the catch, and he should be the kind of deep threat on the outside that will keep defenses honest.

SIXTH ROUND

• No. 205 overall: Buddy Johnson, LB (6-1, 240), Texas A&M. He is a linebacker who diagnoses quickly and utilizes proper angles to get to the ball, which makes up for the fact that he does not dazzle from an athletic perspective. He might never be a three-down defender, but he almost certainly will be a big-time run stuffer and a core special teams guy.

• No. 215 overall: Sadarius Hutcherson, G (6-2, 320), South Carolina. He was a starter for virtually his entire college career and plays with an edge that can make any run game go. His work ethic, particularly in the weight room, earned him recognition as well.

SEVENTH ROUND

• No. 232 overall: Tarron Jackson, Edge (6-2, 260), Coastal Carolina. He is a player who shows constant effort and was a three-time captain in college. He might need time to adjust to NFL competition and to work on some of the finer points of the position but is the just the sort of player on which you gamble in the later rounds.